In RAID storage systems utilizing parity information, data writes require a series of data reads, data modifications, and data writes. Each of these tasks requires multiple commands and calculations. Recent developments in storage device technologies have lowered access times so the limiting factor in overall RAID storage system performance has shifted from the storage devices of the system to the system controller. Therefore, there is a need to increase performance of the various tasks executed by a RAID storage system controller to increase overall performance of the RAID storage system.